Sports Gaming Digest Numero Tres

Coming at you is the third edition of the sports gaming digest. Our E3 rep, Mr. Maltz, will cover as much as he can from the convention and we'll hopefully have news on sports games there in the next few editions. Well anyway this week brings UFC news, preliminary Madden ratings and more NBA news. Here we go…

Leading off, UFC 2010, which had mostly positive reviews, is falling on hard times. Online play has been a major problem, from ratings to the code to pretty much anything imaginable. Also, the first sales figures have been released and have been below expectations. Last year, it was second only to Madden in sports game sales but doesn't look to retain that title this year. EA MMA may have been given its chance due to all the problems with the THQ title. They're displaying the same problems they've always had with the WWE series, with every other year being mediocre. That gives next year's game a chance, but it's yet to be known whether EA MMA can eat into their market share.

The Madden team ratings have been released. The top teams, unsurprisingly, are Indy, New Orleans and with its new WR additions, Baltimore. Detroit, St. Louis and Oakland are at the bottom as expected. Since most of them are based on the prior year, there aren't any huge surprises except for teams like the Jets, who make big offseason acquisitions, usually move up in the rankings which happened again this year.

NBA 2K11 has officially signed up Michael Jordan to be on the cover to boost sales and publicity while also most likely making him a playable character. There is also buzz that other legends may be in negotiations but that's unsubstantiated at this point.

NBA Elite's first official details have been released by EA, with the real time physics and analog controls dominating. David Littman, producer of the acclaimed NHL series has been brought over to NBA to improved it and quell fears that Elite will be a Street-Live hybrid. Driving to the hoop and playing defense, probably the two most obvious parts of basketball, have been emphasized in this version with the hopes of improved realism. You can read the whole interview with David Littman at Gamespot.

EA has also done an interview with MCV that talks about 3D gaming. Peter Moore is skeptical about its potential for sports titles as the cameras and ways the games are played would have to be changed. However, in the past he's shown interest in the platform. Sony has also previously shown off 3D in MLB: The Show demos so who knows what's possible.

Next week we'll probably be back with E3 news on all kinds of sports games ranging from football to hockey. And I'll leave you with a Horatio from CSI Miami sports related pun:

guy: H this baseball player hung himself. He just couldn't live up to his expectations.

Horatio: well you know what that means…His neck got the suicide squeeze…..YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!